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Cruxis117
Guest
A young friend of mine has tried using Situational Ethics to justify her choice to commit sin with her boyfriend (premarital sex). What can I do to respond?
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vera_dicere
Guest
Fornication is a sin.
She can’t argue she was shagging him because she loved him. Because if she loved him she would not have caused him to committ a serious sin - it could indeed be mortal if full knowledge and full consent were present. If so, what she has done is both hateful and evil, both to his soul, and to her own, but being a party in a mortal [possible] sin.
Secondly. 1 Corthn. 13:4, I think it is, “Love is patient…” If she loved him, she would have waited till they were married.
Sorry - not my most charitably worded post, but I’m kinda in a hurry.
She can’t argue she was shagging him because she loved him. Because if she loved him she would not have caused him to committ a serious sin - it could indeed be mortal if full knowledge and full consent were present. If so, what she has done is both hateful and evil, both to his soul, and to her own, but being a party in a mortal [possible] sin.
Secondly. 1 Corthn. 13:4, I think it is, “Love is patient…” If she loved him, she would have waited till they were married.
Sorry - not my most charitably worded post, but I’m kinda in a hurry.
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Bookcat
Guest
Situation ethics? If by such one means that the situation determines the ethic…that it can make something objectively sinful into a good…(such proposed “ethics” has various problems to it …)
One might as well use just good ol’ “rationialzation” or simply “I want to so I will”…
They are all not Christian…not Catholic ways of moral judgment in approaching this question.
Catechism:
2353 Fornication is carnal union between an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. It is gravely contrary to the dignity of persons and of human sexuality which is naturally ordered to the good of spouses and the generation and education of children. Moreover, it is a grave scandal when there is corruption of the young.
1753 A good intention (for example, that of helping one’s neighbor) does not make behavior that is intrinsically disordered, such as lying and calumny, good or just.
1754 … Circumstances of themselves cannot change the moral quality of acts themselves; they can make neither good nor right an action that is in itself evil.
1756 It is therefore an error to judge the morality of human acts by considering only the intention that inspires them or the circumstances (environment, social pressure, duress or emergency, etc.) which supply their context. There are acts which, in and of themselves, independently of circumstances and intentions, are always gravely illicit by reason of their object; such as blasphemy and perjury, murder and adultery. One may not do evil so that good may result from it.
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JRKH
Guest
Let me say that I had never heard of “situational ethics” until this post and I thank you for the link. After reading through the first half or so of the link I find that I agree somewhat with what is said…In other words that there are times when The Law of Love overrides a strict legalism.
I suspect that we all, in a sense, accept this principle. For instance - you are faced with a difficult choice and cannot see which way forward as both seem sinful. You talk to your confessor about it and, with his advice, you make a choice. In a very small way you have, in consultation with your priest, exercised "situational ethics.
HOWEVER - and this is critical - After giving four examples the article says this:
These situations were criticized by many as being quite extreme, although Joseph Fletcher agreed that they were so, because in normal cases, the general guidelines should be applied and it is only in extreme cases that exceptions would need to be made.
This is the crucial aspect when it comes to applying “situational ethics”. The situation cannot be “normative”. In normative situations, the rules apply.
So I would suggest taking this tact with your friend…
If she wishes to claim “situational Ethics” as justification, what makes her situation “extreme” and “outside the norm” to such an extent that it could in any way justify the repeated committing of a grave sin AND causing the one she claims to love to commit this grave sin??
What “Extreme Consideration” (no non-sinful alternative) can she provide?
In other words…Situational ethics can and should be applied only when there are no other non-sinful alternatives…
It cannot be applied out of convenience.
Hope this helps.
Peace
James
I suspect that we all, in a sense, accept this principle. For instance - you are faced with a difficult choice and cannot see which way forward as both seem sinful. You talk to your confessor about it and, with his advice, you make a choice. In a very small way you have, in consultation with your priest, exercised "situational ethics.
HOWEVER - and this is critical - After giving four examples the article says this:
These situations were criticized by many as being quite extreme, although Joseph Fletcher agreed that they were so, because in normal cases, the general guidelines should be applied and it is only in extreme cases that exceptions would need to be made.
This is the crucial aspect when it comes to applying “situational ethics”. The situation cannot be “normative”. In normative situations, the rules apply.
So I would suggest taking this tact with your friend…
If she wishes to claim “situational Ethics” as justification, what makes her situation “extreme” and “outside the norm” to such an extent that it could in any way justify the repeated committing of a grave sin AND causing the one she claims to love to commit this grave sin??
What “Extreme Consideration” (no non-sinful alternative) can she provide?
In other words…Situational ethics can and should be applied only when there are no other non-sinful alternatives…
It cannot be applied out of convenience.
Hope this helps.
Peace
James
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Bookcat
Guest
Love does not do such.
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Deo_Gratias42
Guest
How exactly is she using situational ethics in this case?
Tell her it’s not love, but hormones and chemicals at this stage. Yeesh!
Tell her it’s not love, but hormones and chemicals at this stage. Yeesh!
J
Joe_Kelley
Guest
I have read that at the last Judgement [Matthew 25] the sheep on the right will say to God “Thy will be done.” God will say to the goats on His left “Your will be done.”
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